First brewed in 2005, we’ve managed to secure a new batch of this wild ale brewed in early July of this year. This baby is still pretty active in the bottle, so be sure to open and pour it slowly. The beer’s appearance offers a slightly hazy, vibrant light blonde hue and a tiny, small-bubble sticky head clinging to the sides of the glass as it settles. It greets the nose with a complex blend of light floral hops, honeyed malts, and hints of Brett...

German breweries long ago started a tradition of applying the suffix “-ator” to doppelbock beers—hence the name applied to this beer: Prostator. Unfortunately, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is either unaware of or doesn’t much care for this tradition, as they rejected the label for this beer citing that the name “Prostator” was too similar to the name of what might be a medication, and ...

When Belgium was occupied by Spain in the 1500s, Spanish soldiers referred to the best inns and watering holes as “esta minetta” – “there are girls.” Comically to us, Palm derived the name for their new pilsner from this codeword. Brewed as a Belgian interpretation of a Czech pilsner, Palm brews Estaminet with Czech Saaz hops and lagers the beer for six weeks. On the pour, it provides the classic Czech pils golden straw color with a fluffy white ...

In medieval times, beers from different cities often had their own special, recognizable character, which in the case of beers from Bruges was derived from a distinctive herbal mixture that was bought from the local “gruuthuse.” The use of these “gruut” or “gruit” herbal mixtures pre-dates the use of hops as a bittering agent in beer. While using hops as well, Steenbrugge’s Tripel (much like last month’s Fraoch Heather Ale from Scotland) employ...

A light lager, huh? Yeah, that’s what we thought too, and then we tried it. The mega breweries, with their desire for ever lighter and flavorless beers made from high levels of rice and corn, could learn a thing or two from this brew. Cisco brewer Jay Harman is highly skilled; it takes a tremendously deft touch to brew this type of beer this well, as there’s nothing to hide behind if you screw up. Your recipe has to be perfect, and you have to br...

This month we’re featuring a bit of a comparison within the Helles Lager style, which originated in Munich, Germany. “Helles” is a German term meaning “pale” or “bright”, and is used parallel to how Anglo-American brewers use the term “Pale” in “Pale Ale.” Our first brewer, Fordham, has been brewing a version of this beer for a long time, but it went through a period in which the brewery simply referred to it as Fordham Lager because they felt th...

Though it doesn’t call it out in its name, we consider this summer seasonal from Cisco to be a Helles Lager like our other feature this month from Fordham. Expect a golden color with a bright white head and nice clarity. We found the aroma offers a note of lightly toasted bread, with a fairly grassy quality. Look for a touch of hay and cut grain with some light citrus notes. For some people, Saphir hops can impart an almost tangerine-like quality...

It’s that time of year again, when brewers begin releasing their fall seasonals – many of them pumpkin beers. Fordham’s fall brew is indeed made with pumpkin, but it’s the spices – allspice, clove, cinnamon, and ginger – that stole the show for us. Big spice aromas will probably be apparent as soon as you pop the cap. Expect a golden coppery color on the pour with a touch of light haze. There are strong notes of ginger and cinnamon spiciness with...